California Queen
by king988
Summary: After a series of devastating earthquakes, the American west coast has broken off, and declared independence as the country of California. Kendall is the cocky crown prince who has never had a chance to have fun. Ivy is the heiress who doesn't take anything from anybody. Put them together, and what do you get? Trouble. Kendall and OC. AU. Rated T for mentions of death.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys. So this is a new story I just thought up. It might overlap with my sequel to WTG, but hey, at least I'm keeping occupied. I only own the plot.

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"And in recent news, crown Prince Kendall of California is touring the United States, beginning with New York, to keep peaceful relations with the US."

I sighed and turned off the TV. Nothing was new. In school, they taught us that California was part of the United States. It then broke off of the rest of the country after a bunch of earthquakes in 1852, and declared independence under a monarchy. Since California broke away, it's people have been ruled by the Knight family, and the friends of the family taking major roles in government as dignitaries.

I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Ivy Johnson. My mom was founder and C.E.O. of Williams Tech, and second richest woman in America, until she died 8 years ago in a 6 car pileup. According to her will, my dad, my brother, and I were to receive 4 billion dollars each if she died before my dad. Since I'm 19, the money is legally mine, but I don't do much. I send work to a tutor, but I really have nothing to live for. I don't need a job, because 4 billion is more than enough to live on.

The soft brush of the front door reached my ears, telling me that my dad was home. "Hey Ivy," he said. I grunted. "What's bothering you today?"

"All the attention the media is giving to Prince Kendall. He's not the only person in the world. There are other important things in this world, but just because he's a prince he's being patronized by the American media. I bet he's some spoiled brat that has maids do everything for him," I said.

"Well, about that. The prince has requested to visit our offices, see what we do, and have dinner in one of the executive suites," he said.

"And I'm expected to be there," I said.

"Considering that you're my partner, yes." he answered. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to go take a walk. Be back in 15 minutes," I said. My dad called after me, but I ignored him. What was the use? He would probably tell me that we needed the publicity. And honestly, we did. It's just that I'm not going to spend my time patronizing some prince who apparently deserves more attention than the millions of starving people in the world.

I was walking along, absorbed in my thoughts, when I bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, taking a closer look at him. He was tall and blond, with a set jaw and firm chin. I didn't see his eye color, because his eyes were hidden by black sunglasses.

"Oh, don't be. I wasn't watching where I was going, but hey, let me buy you a drink," he said, looking at me with a smile.

"One, I don't party, and I definitely don't drink. Two, I don't even know who you are. Three, you're not the first random person that tried to have a good time with a pretty girl, and you're not the last I've turned down. Got it?" I asked as I turned away. He walked up next to me.

"I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Frankie, and I didn't mean to offend you, so I apologize. But can I at least buy you something?"

I thought for a moment. I had only been out for two minutes, and I wasn't ready to talk to my dad, or my brother. Not yet. So I agreed. Frankie took me to a small coffee shop, and we spoke a little bit.

"So Frankie, are you from here?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Just visiting. I'm from way out west," he answered. We went on talking for a little bit, and before I knew it, it was time for me to head back.

"Gotta go," I said. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Wait, you never told me your name," he said.

I smiled. "I'm Ivy."

"Ivy," he echoed, before I walked out.

I walked into my house just in time to hear my dad tell my brother about the royal visit. I quietly sat down at the table.

"You see Ivy? Kyle sounds excited" said my dad.

Kyle looked at me, expecting a smart reply. I wouldn't let attentiveness go without reward.

"Well dad, Kyle isn't required to be there. Executive dinners sound nice, but they're really just old people and rich people patronizing each other."

"Nice one Icy," Kyle said, using the nickname my dad gave me when I was little.

"Well I don't think I'm old, but all jokes aside, both of you need to be on your best behavior. We need the publicity," Dad said. We nodded and continued to eat our dinner.

The next evening, I was in my room, trying to decide on what to wear. I finally decided on a blue dress that brought out my eye color. My attitude isn't the only reason my dad calls me Icy. I have light blue eyes, and jet black hair. Just like my mom. If she were here, she would have told me to wear what looked best on me. I heard my dad calling for us to head out, so I quickly grabbed a pair of earrings, my makeup, put on my shoes, and ran out.

In the car, my dad reminded us to be good, and that we needed the publicity. My brother and I agreed, and the rest of the ride went in silence.

We got to the office building just before the "royal" tour finished. As we headed up, my dad looking slightly nervous, I thought about the best thing that could happen, which meant hat the prince didn't turn out to be spoiled, and the dinner went by quickly. Worst case scenario was that he wiuld be some annoyingly spoiled person that would try to hit on me. I was wrong.

The elevator came to a stop, and we headed to one of the executive dining rooms, where our security guards, other executives and the prince were. I took a deep breath and walked to the group. It wasn't that the group didn't like me working there, because I had proven my value many times over, it was just that they were annoying people who wanted to move up. Add that to the fact that I'm not the easiest person to work with. It's Kyle they like anyway. People deal with me, but everyone likes Kyle. He's a very agreeable person. My dad spoke up.

"Good evening, everyone. Please excuse my tardiness. You know how hard it is to get kids out of the house." Everyone chuckled at that. We headed over to Prince Kendall, who looked strangely familiar.

"Prince Kendall, it is very nice to meet you. I'm Richard Johnson, CEO of this company, and hese are my children. My daughter and executive assistant, Ivy, and my son Kyle."

Kyle and I shook hands with him, both saying "Nice to meet you". Kyle shook hands with him first, but then I got a closer look at him.

"Can't be," I whispered to myself. As I shook his hand, I asked him one question.

"Frankie?"

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Well then. Frankie and Kendall are the same person. How will Kendall react to Ivy? What will happen next? Find out on the next chapter of California Queen! Remember to review!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys. I would like to thank Chey21, ShadowlightStarlight, and the guest 1rusher fir their reviews. As they say in show business, "On with the show!"

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Ivy POV

"Frankie?" I asked. Frankie, or actually, Prince Kendall, looked at me in shock.

"Ivy?"

"You've met?" asked one of the prince's advisers. "How did you meet the prince?"

"Relax, Jett," Kendall said. "We literally ran into each other yesterday, and might have had coffee, and might have talked a little bit."

"You spoke to a total stranger, went out with her, told her who you are, and you're telling me to relax?"

"I didn't tell her my name. I told her my name was Frankie. I was wearing sunglasses for that same reason when I slipped out. Just relax, Jett."

"Well then, the food is ready. Let's eat," said my dad, trying to ease the situation."And you and I are going to have a little talk, Ivy," he whispered to me.

I sighed as we all headed to the tables. My dad took the head of the table. I sat at his right, with Kyle sitting next to me. Kendall took my dad's left, across from me, and his adviser sat next to me.

"So, Prince Kendall, how are you enjoying New York?" asked my dad.

"I like it. Not too different from California. And you can just call me Kendall," he said.

"Kendall, what reason did you start with New York for your national tour?" I asked.

"Well, I've always wanted to come to New York, and this was the perfect opportunity," he answered. I realized that I wouldn't be able to get get the answers I wanted in front of everybody, so I did some quick thinking.

"Excuse me," I said, as I walked out of the room. Before I left, I gave Kendall a look, and as I walked out, I heard him say the same thing. I led him to a place where we wouldn't be heard, and faced him.

"Talk."

"About what?"

"Everything. What you were doing walking through Manhattan. Why you told me your name was Frankie."

"Well, I just needed a break, that's why I was out. I didn't exactly lie about my name, either. My middle name is Francis, and my grandmother calls me Frankie. And you understand why I didn't tell you I'm a prince. But why didn't you tell me you were Ivy Johnson?

"You didn't ask. At least I didn't lie about my first name."

"Ok, you win this one. But the prince never loses."

"Whatever. Let's get back to the dinner," I said.

When we got back, Dad gave me a questioning look, but I ignored it. The dinner soon finished, and the prince, his advisers, and my family were the last to leave. I assumed that my life would return to normal. I was wrong. Kendall dropped a huge bomb.

"Mr. Johnson, you mentioned earlier that Ivy is your executive assistant. I have noticed that she works very hard here. I am in need of an assistant, and with your permission, would like to hire her. I know this is very short notice, but I leave New York in two days, and need an answer by then. Please consider this. Thank you very much for your time and for the dinner."

I was shocked. Luckily, Dad spoke up. "Ivy is a good assistant, and we will certainly consider it," he said. Prince Kendall and his entourage went one way, and we went the other.

"Kyle, when we get home, go to bed. I need to talk to Ivy," Dad said.

"Ok, Dad."

I sighed. This evening could not possibly get worse. When we got home, Kyle took a shower, and Dad and I sat in the kitchen.

"Ivy, let's start from the beginning. How on Earth did you meet the Prince?"

"When I went to take a walk, I literally bumped into him. He introduced himself as Frankie, who was visiting from far out west. We went to a small shop and he bought me a coffee."

"I would ask you why you went into a café with a stranger, but I put you into karate classes for 3 years, so I'm not concerned. Now, what did you two talk about when you left?"

"I asked him why he lied about his name, which I kind of already knew the answer to. Turns out his middle name is Francis, so his grandmother calls him Frankie. Then he asked me why I didn't tell him who I really was, and I told him he didn't ask, and then he said something along the lines of a prince doesn't lose. That's when we headed back."

"So about this offer. I know it's good pay, but you're a billionaire. But you have the opportunity to actually get off the couch, and do something worthwhile. And I know for a fact that you're not happy at William Tech, so this could be good for you, but Kyle and I would obviously miss you. I personally think you should accept the offer, but you're 18. You can make your own decisions."

I sighed. Did I really want to do this? It would mean leaving everything, but I would be doing something instead of scaring people at William. The people there are afraid of me. And it makes sense. I'm not the type of person you want to be your boss. I'm not selfish, but I'm just not good at listening, and don't have the best attitude. Sometimes I feel-no that doesn't make sense. I don't understand why I feel that way sometimes. Whatever. I sighed and went to bed.

The next morning, I got out of bed and headed down, still confused about my decision. When I got to the table, my dad said, "Ivy, I've been asked to speak at several colleges about business. I'll probably be gone for a month, maybe two, and I'm taking Kyle with me."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because when I'm not here, you go into overdrive, work 13 hours, record it as 8 hours, Kyle stays home alone, and ends up ordering a pizza because he can't cook. I hope this doesn't influence your decision, but James and Derek will be coming to look after the house."

I sighed. James and Derek are my dad's brothers. They're the laziest people in the world, and the only people in my family I don't like. Whenever we leave the house in their care, it always gets trashed. That's the only time we ever hire maids.

"If they come, then I'm working an 18 hour shift for a week." I said. Dad rolled his eyes.

"Suit yourself," he said. I got up and headed upstairs to think. If I stayed, I would have to be with my lazy uncles. If I left, I'd be leaving behind Dad and Kyle, the most important people in my life, to move to another country. Lazy uncles or another country? I didn't want to leave Dad and Kyle, but I didn't want to stay with my lazy uncles. But I would be able to make a name for myself in California, rather than stay at Williams. I could do something that no one in my family had done before.

Even if it meant leaving, I knew then and there that I was going to California. I pulled out my phone, and quickly called my dad.

"Dad, call the prince's advisers, the ones who suggested the dinner, and tell them I said yes."

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Looks like Ivy is headed to California. I originally wanted to post this up on the fourth, but then I realized that no one would read it. Hope you all had a good fourth. Remember to review! I stayed up late to get this done, and want some appreciation. Hit the review button to show it.

P.S. I have a rule about new followers and people that favorite my stories.

All new followers/people that have made this one of their favorite stories must review.


	3. Chapter 3

I would like to thank kensare, pinkprincess777, and chey21.

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Ivy's POV

"So what's the capitol of California?" I asked one of the security guards. We were riding in a limo to the airport, where Prince Kendall would fly to Boston for a quick news conference, stay the night, and then fly to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and then west to Saint Louis, spend a day in Chicago, fly southwest to Houston, and then finish Phoenix before flying back to California. I had already given my things to some security guards and they had put them in Kendall's private jet.

The guard rolled his eyes. "San Francisco."

Kendall and Jett walked into the limo.

"Ivy, let's review one more time. You are not to do anything until we reach California. While his Highness Prince Kendall is giving speeches, you are to stay wherever we are. Food still be brought for you. Do you understand?" Jett said.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes Jett, for the hundredth time."

"Ivy, I don't need that attitude. Not from the prince, and not from you."

Kendall leaned over and whispered in my ear, "Such a lovely personality."

I smirked and whispered back, "All he really needs is a stool softener, and more fiber in his diet, if you know what I mean."

Kendall burst out laughing. I, on the other hand, looked out the window, trying to hide my smile. I failed.

"Now what are you laughing about? You won't be laughing if Congress says no to the new staff addition." Jett growled.

I suddenly became serious. "So how does government work in California?" I asked.

Kendall cleared his throat as he began to explain. "We have the Monarchy, Congress, and a House of Judges. When our Constitution was made, Congress was meant to be slightly stronger than the Monarchy, but it's very flexible, and the Monarchy has become as powerful as Congress. The House of Judges is similar to your Supreme Court; there are nine judges, it's a lifetime position, and they limit the power of Congress and the Monarchy."

I thought for a moment. "So you have a check and balance system like here in America."

"Pretty much."

"Explain what happens when you add someone new to your staff. All of the legal channels."

"First, the monarch, or someone from the royal family, appoints them. Then, Congress does a background check, grants a visa if necessary, or even instant citizenship, speaks with the person, and then either approves them or rejects them. The person gets sworn in by the head judge, the House of Judges make sure the appointment is legal according to the Constitution, and the person is officially a member of the royal staff."

"Only high ranking officers, or the gardener?"

"High ranking officers. They actually choose lower ranking palace positions, like servants. If you get approved, part of your job will be screening people who want jobs at the palace. By any chance, do you speak any other languages?"

I rolled my eyes. "I speak French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and a little bit of German."

"How did you learn all of those languages?" Jett asked, breaking into our conversation.

"When you have time and money, anything is possible."

Kendall spoke up. "Relax, Jett. Congress is going to love her. She speaks 5 languages."

"I hope so," said Jett. "We all know it's been hard to get you an assistant, and your soon coronation isn't making it easier."

Kendall chuckled. "You know, Jett, maybe it would be easier if you didn't scare everyone away," he said.

I laughed, but when Jett and the security guards glared at me, I turned the laugh into a cough and looked away.

"See what I mean?" Kendall asked.

Jett sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, something I had seen him do 10 times since he came into the limo. "I just - "

"Yeah yeah. You just don't want any trouble," interrupted Kendall.

The tension inside the limo was so thick I could feel it with my fingers. Soon, we arrived at the airport, where one of the Royal Private Air Fleet planes was waiting. I slipped on a pair of sunglasses, and braced myself for the rush of reporters that would come for Kendall the moment we stepped out of the limo. I forgot that they would be interested in me too.

"Your Highness!"

"Prince Kendall!"

"Ivy Johnson?!"

"Miss Johnson! Can you tell us what you're doing with Prince Kendall?"

"Are you two romantically linked?

_We finally made it into the plane. I sat down in one of the armchairs, and Kendall flopped down next to me. _

_"Did you hear that reporter?" he asked me._

_"Which one? The one that asked me what I was doing with you, or the one that thought we're together?"_

_"The last one," he said. We both laughed. _

_"How long will you be in Boston?" I asked. _

_"Two hours."_

_I raised my eyebrows. "Might as well stay on the plane then. Where are the beds?"_

_"All the way in the back. The one on the left is yours."_

_I thanked him and headed to my room. I yawned, and looked at the time. 1:00. A flight from New York City to Boston took 45 minutes. If I were to sleep through the flight, and Kendall's two hours, I would probably catch up on some of the sleep I missed. With that thought, I slipped under the covers and went to sleep._

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Kendall's POV

Another speech, another dinner, another city. That's what I have to keep reminding myself. But is Ivy just another aide? In California, the tabloids always talk about how I can't keep an assistant. What really happens is that either they're terrible or Jett scares them off. But Ivy? She seems...different. We get along, we've shared a few jokes, and she's super qualified. And not to mention gorgeous. I know for a fact that my mom will accept her, Katie probably will, and Congress probably will too. Maybe we can spend a little time together.

Hopefully, she's not a workaholic who doesn't know how to have a good time. But what will Carlos and James think?

Carlos Garcia and James Diamond are my two best friends. They're the children of my mom's closest friends, and their families, along with the Mitchell family, fought for my family to assume the throne. Someone in the Mitchell family was caught in a big scandal, and the family has been in decline. I haven't even seen Logan Mitchell, who used to be one of my closest friends, in 10 years.

But back to Ivy. Will she adjust to palace life? Will the employees like her? Will she like them? The only way to find out is to see what happens. Now I have another reason to get back to the palace.

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Ivy's POV

I woke up to the sound of engines humming, and for a second, forgot where I was. Then I remembered that I was on the Prince of California's private jet. What had I done? Did I really know what I had just ran into? I wish I could have talked to Dad and Kyle before I left. I stretched and walked out of my room.

"About time you woke up," said Kendall.

"I haven't slept in a while. How was Boston?"

"Boring. Have you ever been to Philadelphia?"

"Once. The restaurants there are really good, and there's a lot of history to it."

"Oh"

"Kendall?"

"Hm?"

"Tell me about Jett."

"He became my adviser when I was 7. My dad, Prince Ryan, died when I was 8. From then on, Jett became the sole male authority figure in my life. Sometimes I feel like he wants to be like a father to me, but he will never replace my dad."

"I remember when my mom died. I literally wasted away in my room. That's also when I developed my attitude. My dad and brother call me Icy because of it."

He nodded. "Everyone in California sent something. Elementary schools sent me all these homemade cards and stuff. I still have a lot of them."

"When my mom died, the people at Williams gave us so much food, we had to buy another freezer to fit all of it." I chuckled. "Guess they didn't know that my dad could cook. All my mom could do was bake."

He smiled. "I had mountains of candy in my room. My friends Carlos, Logan, James, and I all ate them."

"But what I hated were the sympathetic looks."

"Same."

We continued talking until the flight was over, discovering more and more about each other at each sentence.

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And there you go. Not every chapter has to end with a twist. Remember to review!


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys. I'm ditching the long ANs I used to write in WTG, so here's chapter 4!

I would like to thank everyone that reviewed.

For disclaimer, please see Chapter 1.

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Ivy's POV

I woke up, looked out of my window, and saw the plane refueling at the airport. We were in Phoenix, Kendall's last stop before heading back to California. I stretched and walked into the main section of the plane, where Kendall and Jett were eating breakfast.

"About time," said Jett, as I sat down. Kendall snorted.

"Leave her alone, Jett. At least she was actually sleeping, instead of bothering the other passengers of the plane," he said. Jett frowned. The relationship between Kendall and Jett was...well, impossible. Kendall was stubborn and sometimes immature, and Jett was high expectations and a short fuse. Every day, all there was between them was tension, and frankly, I was getting sick of it. Icy was back in action.

"I'll just eat in my room. Don't want you two spoiling my breakfast any more than it is."

"See what you did, Jett? You scared her away."

"I scared her away? All I said was that she was sleeping in."

"That's not how I remember it," Kendall said.

"Oh my god, Kendall and Jett, just SHUT UP!"

Kendall and Jett both looked shocked.

"Thanks. That's much better, don't you think so? Now if you don't mind, I'm going to figure out what to do while Kendall is doing who knows what in Phoenix for a day," I stated.

I was starting to surprise even myself. I hadn't been acting up to the nickname of Icy in a while, but I was never like this unless I was really mad. But now I was stuck in my room with nothing to do. I decided to call Dad. Besides, I had some things I needed to figure out.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad. Sorry I haven't been in touch lately."

He chuckled. "It's alright. Listen, I need to go into a meeting, so I can't stay long."

"Ok. Quick question. When exactly are Dumb and Dumber* coming to look after the house?"

"Ivy, your uncles have names."

"They are not my uncles. They're your lazy brothers. Not my uncles."

He sighed. "Well, the trip is in two weeks," he said.

"Two weeks? The way you said it, you made it sound like they were coming in one. You really wanted me to do this."

"I did. How is it?"

I groaned. "Horrible. The prince and his adviser always argue."

"So don't be around them."

"Dad, I'm in an enclosed space. I can't just take a walk and meet another prince."

"No, I mean California. How long are you in Phoenix?"

"Thankfully, one more day. I think I can survive for another day."

"That's my girl. I really have to go now, so don't be too Icy."

"Alright. Love you."

"Love you too." He hung up.

I sighed and looked my phone. I honestly hated this situation. I wouldn't mind being at home with Dad, or Kyle, or even James and Derek. I wasn't the happiest I could be, but I was with people I loved (or maybe liked, in James and Derek's case), and people who loved me. And they tried to make me happy, genuinely tried, and that was enough for me.

So why did you leave? I thought to myself. Because I had a chance to leave New York. Because I would become a scout, exploring new territory. Because I was satisfied, but not happy. Because I secretly wanted to step down as second in command at Williams.

My train of thought was suddenly derailed by the sound of knocking on wood. I sighed, got up, and opened the door. It was Kendall.

"What do you want?" I asked him, in a voice colder than a Canadian lake.

He stepped back. "Look, Ivy, I just want to apologize for breakfast. That was unnecessary."

I snorted. "Of course it was. Do you always argue with Jett whenever he says something harmless?"

"Ivy, we both know it's not like that."

"Really? And if you don't mind me asking, who do you mean by 'we'?"

"I mean you and myself. You know exactly how I feel about-"

"Kendall, all he said was about time! You knew I slept late, he knew I slept late, and I knew I slept late. It was harmless. Why did you have to go and make a big issue?"

"I was trying to protect you."

"Kendall, we have spent two weeks together on this plane, and know all the major things about each other. You know damn well that I'm no victim."

"Ivy, please. I didn't mean-"

"Kendall. Spare me the naïve rich boy routine. I know it too well. Just be straight up."

"Fine. I did think you might be offended. I didn't mean to start an argument. Friends?"

I rolled my eyes before smiling. "Friends."

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Kendall's POV

I was not expecting Ivy to interrogate me like that. She can be really scary. I wonder how her dad and brother lived with her all this time.

Suddenly, Jett's voice snapped me back into reality.

"What?" I asked him.

"I said time to go. As in get in the car?"

I was going to say something rude, but then I thought of Ivy. So I held my tongue. For Ivy. We headed into a black car was waiting for us.

Jett tapped me on the shoulder as we were driving.

"Heard your new assistant grilling you." He grinned. "If she's like that all the time then don't worry about her making it past Congress."

I scowled**, making Jett's grin even wider.

"Shut up."

All of his teeth. He looked like...

"Are you laughing? What did Ivy do to you? Jett Stetson never laughs."

Laughter.

I punched his shoulder lightly.

"You're not supposed to laugh at a prince."

"Oh? And what am I supposed to do?"

"Laugh with a prince."

"Aren't I?"

"I'm not laughing."

Howls.

"Whatever. You're lucky I don't report you and make you go back to mining."

"Try," he had to stop and take a breath. "Try to do that and see what they tell you."

I gave up and started laughing too. Jett could never be my dad, but he could maybe possibly perhaps be like an uncle. Sometimes. He wasn't actually that bad if he was in a good mood.

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Ivy's POV

I was flipping through channels on the satellite TV in the plane, when I accidentally pressed a button for a news channel. I saw a wrecked building, and then the camera switched to a middle aged woman behind the desk.

"A truck has crashed into the Phoenix city hall. Eileen Wills is reporting."

The view switched back to the wrecked building, and I saw a mashed up truck in the background. Also, I saw firemen coming out of trucks, and a lot of ambulances. A young with too much makeup began to speak.

"Thank you Jenna. Apparently, the driver of the truck fell asleep behind the wheel, and lost control. The truck then swerved and hit the capitol. Prince Kendall of California, his adviser, the mayor of Phoenix, and the Governor of Arizona were all in the building, and have been taken to the hospital. Minor injuries were reported."

I turned off the TV, unable to breathe. Because the town hall was where Kendall and Jett had been. I quickly exited my room, and spoke to the security guard sitting outside.

"Take me to the hospital. The Prince is there."

* * *

*See what I did there?

**Nobody says "scowled" anymore. Just thought I'd bring it back into the mix.

BANG!

I honestly wasn't planning that. I ran into some major writer's block, so I was like, "why don't I start some problems before they even arrive in California?"

And then I did. Hit that review button!


	5. Chapter 5

I would like to thank all the reviewers.

For full disclaimer, please see chapter 1.

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Ivy's POV

"Are you both okay?" I asked. I had just arrived at the hospital to see Kendall and Jett. They both nodded.

"My leg is sore, and my hearing is damaged, but other than that, I'll be fine," said Jett.

Kendall agreed.

"The rest of Kendall's meetings have been canceled, so we can go back to California right now," Jett continued.

"And you both can go?" I asked.

They nodded.

"Then let's go!" I said.

We exited the hospital and went our separate ways. Kendall and Jett to one car, me in the other.

After arriving at the airport, and refueling the jet, we were cleared to take off. The flight would take two hours, so I settled in.

"Ivy, when we get there, you will stay in your room, and only come out for meals until your approval by Her Majesty Queen Jennifer and your confirmation by Congress. Understand?"

I snorted. "Yeah, I understand you're putting me under house arrest."

"Ivy, it's not like that-"

"Yeah it is, Jett," interrupted Kendall. "And, how will Congress react if they find out that my potential new assistant locked herself in her room instead of spending time with the family she was to serve?"

I had to give Kendall some credit. He could be brilliant when he needed to.

"Fine," growled Jett. "But be on your best behavior, or I'll personally send you back to New York."

"Jett, Ivy is younger than I am, and works 12 hours a day. Let her cut back."

Jett turned to me. "You work 12 hours a day?"

I shrugged. "I usually record my work shifts as eight hours, because I don't need overtime money."

"Alright. Just make sure you behave better than Kendall."

I smiled. "Now that I can promise."

When we got there, the press was already waiting for us at the airport. I slipped on a pair of sunglasses and stepped out.

"Prince Kendall!"

"His Highness!"

"Miss Johnson!"

The questions continued until we got to the car. We drove away and headed to the palace.

"Tell me about the palace," I asked Kendall.

"It's big, fancy, has the largest private library in California, tons of rooms, a gigantic kitchen and dining hall, and tons of secret passageways."

"Not exactly what I was looking for, but okay."

When we arrived at the palace, some servants took our bags. I followed one to my room. After he left, I took a look around. My room was actually four rooms; a sitting room with a fireplace, an upstairs bedroom, a. walk-in closet, also upstairs, and a bathroom. I sat down on the bed and thought about the events of the past few days. A knock sounded on my door, but it wasn't my front door. It sounded like it came from upstairs. I carefully crept upstairs and listened for the knocking. It was coming from my closet.

_Strange, I thought, as I opened the door. I turned on the light, and headed to the back of it. There was something strange about one part of the wallpaper, but I didn't really know what. Until I accidentally banged my hand on that part. It sounded...hollow? Using my fingernail, I peeled off one side, and discovered a crack in the wall. I peeled off the rest, and saw a door with no handle. I looked around, and saw a small lever on the wall that looked like a light switch. But why would I need a light switch when I already had the lights on?_

_I pulled the switch and heard a humming noise, and then saw the door swing open just enough for me to pry it open. I did, and saw Kendall sitting on the floor in a hallway. _

_"Took you long enough."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yep. Told you there were secret passageways."_

_"I never doubted you. Where are we headed?"_

_"The kitchen. Let's see what they're making for tonight."_

_He lead me through the hallway, around a corner, and pointed down to a vent._

_"If you look down, you can see the kitchen," he whispered to me._

_I looked down and saw a large turkey being prepared._

_"Which reminds me, are you allergic to anything?"_

_I shook my head. _

_"Good. Oh, by the way, Chef Gustavo has a short fuse. He's a great cook, but he gets angry easily."_

_"Do any of these passageways lead outside?" I asked him._

_He nodded. "Yeah, but this one doesn't. Maybe we could explore them sometime."_

_I snorted. "To do that, I would need the blueprint for this palace."_

_"Try the royal archives."_

_I rolled my eyes._

_"Wow. They really cater to your every need."_

_"Everything for the bratty prince."_

_"Whatever. I need to go get ready for dinner."_

_He sighed. "Guess you'll meet my suitors. All rich, royal people."_

_"Rich people aren't that bad. I work with them."_

_"Nope. The only thing worse than rich people are blue blooded people. Trust me."_

_"Are there any suitors that you think could be a potential wife?"_

_He smirked. "There's one who's really rich, but not blue blooded. She's in royal service, making her eligible, and she's not afraid to tell me anything. But she's not a suitor."_

_It didn't take a rocket scientist to know he was talking about me._

_"Shut up Kendall," I said, as I walked away. _

_"I'll make you fall for me." He said, laughing. _

_I kept walking until I remembered that I didn't know where I was going. I found Kendall exactly where I had left him, and asked him how to get back to my room._

_"Go around that corner and go straight."_

_I followed his instructions and headed back. I discovered that the door had a knob on the passageway side, and went through. Suddenly, I heard banging on the door._

_"Ivy, open this door right now!"_

_It was Jett, and he didn't sound too happy._

_I quickly made my hair look sloppy, ran down the stairs, and opened the door._

_"What were you doing?" he demanded._

_I yawned and smoothed down my hair. "Sleeping," I lied. He looked at me, and decided he believed me. _

_"Get ready for dinner," he said. "And don't forget. I've got my eye on you." He closed the door. _

_I breathed a sigh of relief and picked a gown. It was dark blue, sparkled, and was strapless. I put on some make-up, looked outside of my door, and saw a servant. I quickly flagged him down._

_"Are there hairstylists in the palace?"_

_He nodded. _

_"Could you send one here?"_

_He nodded again._

_"Thanks...I don't know your name."_

_"I'm Johnny, but you can call me Guitar Dude."_

_"Ivy. Thanks Guitar Dude."_

_"No problem," He said over his shoulder, as he walked away. _

_Soon, the hairstylist arrived, and did my hair in a simple style that completed my outfit. She had just left, and I had just put on a pair of heels when another knock sounded at my door. I opened it, and there stood Kendall at the door in a tux._

_"Let's go to dinner," he said._

_I took his arm, and we headed down to the dining hall. Before we came in, I took my hand from his arm._

_"Why not, Ivy,?"_

_"It makes us look like a couple."_

_A smirk. "Aren't we?"_

_"Nope."_

_"We will be."_

_"Whatever."_

_"His Royal Highness Kendall, Prince of California and her territories."_

_"Gotta go," Kendall said pressing a kiss to my cheek and walking in._

_I snorted. "Flirt."_

_"Miss Ivy Johnson, former executive assistant of Williams Tech, and assistant to His Highness Prince Kendall."_

_I walked into the dining hall and sat next to Kendall, who was at the right corner, getting a lot of dirty looks in the process from the suitors that had already been introduced. _

_"Her Royal Highness Katherine, Princess of California and her territories."_

_A young girl, about Kyle's age walked in and sat at the left corner of the table._

_"Her Majesty Jennifer, Queen of California and her territories. All rise."_

_As I stood, I got a quick look at the queen. She had red hair, green eyes, and a warm smile. In a gentle voice, she said, "Be seated", and sat at the head of the table. We all sat down as more guests were introduced. _

_"Princess Svetlanta of Kerplankistan, and her father."_

_I watched as a young man with his face covered tossed dirt on the ground for them to walk on. I looked at Kendall._

_"Custom. They only walk on Kerplankistani soil."_

_Princess Svetlanta sat next to Princess Katherine._

_"Lady Camille Roberts, Baroness of Los Angeles, and her father, Phillip."_

_A girl about my age walked in on her father's arm. She looked like she didn't exactly want to be there. She sat next to Princess Svetlanta, and gave us a small smile. Kendall leaned over and whispered to me, "We used to be really close when we were little. We stopped talking though"_

_"Her Highness Princess Stephanie of Britain."_

_A stunning girl, also about my age walked in. She was bolder, and sat right next to me. _

_"Call me Stephanie," she said with a smile._

_"Ivy," I replied._

_"Her Highness Princess Heather of France."_

_Another girl my age sat down at the table. She looked nervous, but managed to give Kendall and I a small smile. _

_"Logan Mitchell II, earl dependent of Oakland, son of Logan I, Earl of Oakland._

_Kendall whistled. _

_"What?" I asked him._

_"The Mitchell family's reputation was ruined when a distant cousin was discovered not reporting his income for the past six years. That was ten years ago, and I haven't seen Logan since."_

_A boy of average height walked in and sat four seats down from me._

_"James Diamond IV, Baron of Isle de Cuda, son of James III, Grand Duke of California. _

_Kendall whispered, "James is one of my closest friends. His dad is one of the most powerful people in California, and is very crafty."_

_He walked around the table, greeted the Queen, shook hands with Kendall, and pressed a kiss to my hand. _

_"I have never had the pleasure of laying my eyes on such beauty. What is your name?"_

_"Ivy," I said with a smile. He kissed my hand again, kissed Stephanie's hand, and sat three seats from me._

_"Sir Carlos Garcia III, son of Carlos II, Earl of San Diego."_

_A Latino walked in, and sat next to Stephanie, filling the last seat. He waved at Kendall and me, and smiled at Stephanie. _

_"Carlos and James are my closest friends," Kendall said._

_The food came out, and we all ate. It was some of the best food I've ever eaten. _

_After the table was cleared, it was time to for the suitors to talk to Kendall. I went to sit by him, but then I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around, and saw Princesses Stephanie and Heather, and Lady Camille. _

_"Ivy, we need to talk."_

* * *

Uh-oh! What do they want with Ivy?

I originally wasn't sure I would be able to post today because of MWB, but I started to write and couldn't stop. Review please!


	6. Chapter 6

I would like to thank the reviewers and those who favorited me or my story.

* * *

Ivy's POV

"Ivy, we need to talk," said the Baroness.

"Sure," I said, as I followed them to a small window.

"First off, call us by our first names. The only people that call us by our titles arw our advisers. Second, it's a relief to see a girl that's not like those other stuffy girls."

I laughed. "The worst things about rich girls are their attitudes and how much perfume they wear."

Camille, Heather, and Stephanie all laughed.

"Have any idea when your hearing is?"

I shrugged. "Anywhere from tomorrow up until next week."

"During the dinner, you were getting looks from a lot of people," said Heather.

"I noticed. Wait, do you actually want to marry the prince?"

"No. I'm in this because my dad wants me to," Camille said. She seemed to be the ringleader of their group.

"Same here," the other girls chorused.

"So is there someone else then?"

"Kind of," Stephanie said.

"Explain," I said.

They looked around.

"Why don't we sit? It's complicated," said Camille. I nodded and followed them to a place where there were four open seats.

"Kendall and I used to be really close," Camille began.

"It's my dad that wants this marriage. Whenever I think of being with Kendall I think of the younger version that was afraid of cooties."

I raised an eyebrow. "But what about the person you like?"

She sighed. "Logan. After the big corruption scandal, my dad has always told me to stay away from them. But I read my history books and found out my dad and his dad don't like each other because of a business fallout. That stems from when California just became a country."

She looked up. "I have to go. Prince Kendall is calling me. Be right back."

I turned to Stephanie and Heather. "What about you two?"

"It's complicated," they said at the same time.

"We're not crown princesses, but the only people our parents want us to marry are the prince. But there's one prince and 30 suitors."

"Why don't you just talk to them?"

"Why didn't you give that advice to Camille?" asked Heather. Stephanie and I looked at her.

"Sorry, it's a touchy subject."

I grinned. "Don't be. I can tell we'll get along just fine. But to answer your question, Camille's situation seems more complicated."

Suddenly, someone cleared her throat behind me. It was Princess Svetlanta.

"Do you mind if I ask a question?"

It was strange, but seemed harmless.

"Not at all."

"I love someone that isn't the prince. What should I do?"

"Be with that someone. If you end up marrying Prince Kendall, you'll only focus on that someone. Do you really want to spend your life with someone you don't love?"

"Thank you, Ivy. Dirt Boy, come on. Let's talk to my father."

I shook my head as I watched her walk away. One girl's dream is closer to coming true. I started to walk away, but then I heard Kendall calling me.

"My mom wants to meet you, and I need an excuse to get away from those people." He grinned at me. "There's still one girl I wish was a suitor, but she's not. But where we're headed, no one will see anything."

"Nope."

He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Never."

Puppy eyes.

"I have a younger brother. Puppy eyes have no effect."

Puppy eyes and a pout.

"I can't see you." I closed my eyes.

"Ivy, watch out!"

I opened my eyes. "Huh?"

Too late. I walked straight into a wall. And fell.

"Are you okay?"

I groaned. "Help me up."

"Can you see straight? On a scale of one to ten, how much does your head hurt? How many fingers am I holding up? Are you nauseous? Do you feel dizzy? Can you read that sign over there? Do you feel woozy? Is your head wobbly? Are your eyelids heavy? Do you feel like you need to go to sleep?"

"Kendall, shut up and help me up."

"Ivy, are you sure you're okay?"

"Without a shadow of a doubt positive," I said, as Kendall helped me up.

"How are you feeling?"

"Absolutely stellar."

"Here, just lean on me. Just hang in there long enough to meet my mom. I'll take you to your room, and have the doctor send up some painkillers."

"Ugh. How much longer do I have to walk?"

"We're almost there. Here."

He led me into a room where the Queen was sitting behind a desk. She gave us a big smile.

"You must be Ivy. I can't talk much right now, but I have approved you as Kendall's assistant, meaning your hearing is tomorrow. Are you okay with that?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Just remember, if you ever need anything at all, just ask me."

"Thank you."

She nodded and smiled, and went back to her work.

Kendall lead me back to my room, where I was finally able to take off my shoes and lie down. If it wasn't for the major pain I was in, I might actually be content. A few minutes later, Kendall handed me a pill and a glass of water.

"Here. This should help."

I thanked him and took the painkiller.

"Well, I'm not going to wait around for this to take effect. Good night, Kendall."

"Good night, Ivy."

A good night and without him flirting. A successful hearing is going to be even better.

* * *

Kendall's POV

I sighed. My suitors were all the same. Spoiled airheads. I went up to my room, and found James and Carlos sitting there waiting for me.

"So, how did it go?" James asked.

"And what are the suitors like?" questioned Carlos. "Do you-"

I held up a hand. "There are some in my freezer. Don't burn down the palace. Or my kitchen."

James and I rolled our eyes as Carlos excitedly ran over to put some corn-dogs in the toaster oven.

Carlos. The fact that someone so high up in society enjoyed a carnival food was ridiculous, but it made perfect sense with Carlos. He was very simple, which was why he would often put on sunglasses and buy boxes of corn-dogs, fish sticks, and dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets at local supermarkets.

"Your new assistant, she's one good looking person. Think we'd have a shot?"

"Fwhsat fshappened foo fhe Fbritigh fphrincess?" Carlos asked, his mouth full.

"What?"

"I said, what happened to the British Princess? You know, the one you were raving about last week?"

"Her?" he waved his hand. "Old news. I saw Kendall's new assistant, and everything flew out the window."

I snorted. "If you want her, you'll have to turn it down, James. Just to mess with her, I've been hitting on her nonstop since we started flying to California."

"Well she never heard it from me," James answered cockily.

But it was true. Despite his family's status, everyone in California knew that he was a major party animal, and a player. He's been linked to a lot of movie stars. And girls usually swoon to what he calls "the Diamond Charm". He spends a lot of time looking at the mirror, and using his lucky comb. Carlos and I think he was a model in a past life.

"Either way James, she'd break you in half," I said.

"Hey!"

"I mean it."

"Kendall, you notice something about the dinner tonight?" Carlos asked.

"What, that Ivy got a lot of dirty looks? Why that princess from Kerplankistan randomly dropped out?"

"Well, yeah, those did stand out. But it was too quiet. She wasn't here."

"Maybe she realized that she doesn't have a chance, and that I'll never pick her."

"Kendall, do you really think that would happen?" James asked. "You know she's a pathological liar, and power hungry, and obsessive, and spoiled. I wonder what she'll do when she realizes she won't be queen of California."

"What's even worse is that her dad is one of the leaders in Congress," I said.

"Her father is the world's worst human being," Carlos said.

"If she finally realizes that no one likes her and is sent to an insane asylum, I'll make the day she does a national holiday," I said.

And that day won't be able to come soon enough.

* * *

So, who is this person? Review please!


	7. Chapter 7

No comment. Please enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Ivy's POV

I walked into the room where I had been told to meet the heads of state that would decide whether or not I could be Kendall's assistant.

Three men in suits looked down from the desk they shared.

"Are you Ivy Johnson?"

I nodded.

"Do you have any I.D.?"

I handed one my passport.

"Well, judging from the work you've done at Williams, you seem to be a good candidate. You may stay, but absolutely no funny business. Your job is to make the life of a Sovereign easier.

At the first time you cause any sort of trouble, we will warn you. On the second offense, we will vote over whether or not you get sent home."

I nodded. "Thank you for your time."

I took my passport back and left. I was now Kendall's assistant.

* * *

One week later

"Ivy, I want you to meet my publicist, Jo," Kendall said. A medium height girl with dirty blond hair and brown eyes looked at me and smiled.

"She might be young, but she's brilliant."

"What's your background?"

"I skipped two grades, graduated college, and the Queen interviewed me after seeing my record."

I smiled. "Nice. Good to know Kendall has other qualified people on his staff."

She laughed. "It was nice meeting you, but I have to get everything set up for Kendall's speech in two weeks."

I nodded as she walked away.

"And now, Ivy, to celebrate your first week as my assistant, let's go out for ice cream," said Kendall.

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me on a date?"

He blushed. "Of course not. That's not allowed. Just the two of us and some ice cream."

I reluctantly agreed.

"Follow me," he said, leading me to a garage. He grabbed a helmet, a bandana, and pointed to a red motorcycle. "That's mine. I usually ride when I need to get away. That's why there's no coat of arms on it."

He handed me a helmet and the bandana.

"Hop on." He grinned. "Don't be afraid to put your arms around my waist."

I rolled my eyes, put on the helmet and bandana, and sat behind him.

"One more thing. When I turn, you have to lean with me or else we fall off. Got it?"

I nodded, but realized that he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, I'll lean."

We rode off, stopping at a small ice cream shop.

"It's small, but the ice cream is amazing. I always go here with James and Carlos," Kendall stated.

We walked in, the smell of milk and sugar greeting me. We quickly found a table for two.

"What will it be?" Asked one of the waitresses.

"For me, deluxe-sized caramel. For her, a medium-sized peanut butter and chocolate with Kit-Kat."

She quickly wrote down the orders and dashed away.

"Why did you order for me?" I asked.

"Did it bother you?"

"Not really."

"Trust me, you'll love what I ordered for you."

Our orders soon came, and we began to eat.

"Wow, you were actually right. This is amazing."

He smiled. "I usually come here when it gets really hot, because their summer flavors are the best."

I nodded. "On a completely unrelated subject, when will I meet your sister?"

He smirked. "You'll find her around the palace."

Suddenly, his smile faded.

"What's wrong?" I asked. He pointed to a man in the bushes with a camera.

"He's the only person in California to have unapproved photos of the Royal Family," he explained. He quickly put the bill for the ice cream on the table, and then got up, beckoning me to follow him. I grabbed my helmet and followed him to his motorcycle. He got on, waited for me to do the same, started the motorcycle, and drove away fast as possible.

But not before the photographer managed to take a few pictures of us on the motorcycle.

The next day, I woke up to Jett banging on my door.

"Ivy, open this door right now or else I will personally send you back to New York.

I groaned, rolled out of bed, put on my bathrobe, and opened the door.

"What."

He raised his eyebrow.

"Explain this to me."

He held out a magazine with Kendall and I riding his motorcycle on the cover. The headline said,

"Ivy Johnson: Prince Kendall's new assistant, or new lover?"

I gave Jett the magazine, and sat down to think. The tabloid photographer managed to get a shot of us, presented it as if we were dating, and published it to the masses. The way to downplay it? I wasn't 100 percent sure, but I had an idea. I needed to talk to Jo.

"Okay, Jett, I'll fix it. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry? You're on national news."

I quickly got dressed and ran to find Jo. She was in a small office, on the phone.

"No, I want full coverage. No commercials, no deviation. The only way this is getting interrupted is if the Queen herself asks. I'm done talking to you. I'm calling your superiors. And one more thing. You're terrible at your job"

She looked at me. "So what can I do for my favorite PR nightmare?"

I sat down. "Damage control."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Which suitor do you think has the best chance at being Kendall's wife?"

* * *

Kendall's POV

I sighed as I walked into the palace. Early in the morning, I had been at Congress, asking the heads of state not to hold Ivy accountable for the tabloid cover. I went up to my room, hoping to get some sleep. That wouldn't happen. James and Carlos were sitting on my couch, eating candy.

"Didn't know you made a move on your new assistant so soon," James called.

I threw a pillow at him. "I didn't. Reginald Bitters says I did, but that's a lie."

"Really? So she's still available? I can still slide her my number?" James asked.

"Don't even try."

"Why not? No conflict of interest there, right Carlos?"

Carlos shook his head. "Nope."

"So why can't I try?" James was getting impatient.

"Because she'll break you in two, and you were just raving about that French princess."

James rolled his eyes. "I'm tougher than you think, Kendall."

"James, Jett is slightly afraid of her."

We were interrupted by someone knocking on my door. I opened the door, and as surprised to see Jo standing there.

"Kendall, do you have plans tomorrow?" she queried.

"No, why?"

She smiled. "Because you're going on a date with a consort tomorrow, and the press will take a few pictures."

I groaned. "I'd bet Jett set this up."

"Nope. Ivy did. Called it damage control. I have to go. Play nice tomorrow."

Great. Now I have a forced date with a stuffy suitor. This day gets better and better.

Suddenly, Katie appeared in my doorway.

"Mom wants you. Now."

* * *

What could she possibly want? My vacation is over, I feel inspired again, and I saw Challen Cates on Hell's Kitchen. I would like to thank kensare.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the unnecessarily long wait. Here's chapter 8 (Rhyme fully intended)!

* * *

Kendall's POV

"Mom wants you, and she's mad," Katie had said. Now I was walking to her room. I opened the door and walked in, finding Mom sitting on the couch.

"Kendall, I was hoping you could explain this," she stated, holding up the tabloid.

I sighed. "Mom, it was nothing. We were getting ice cream, and tried to get away. Besides, Ivy and Jo already have a plan for some damage control."

She looked at me. "I know they do. They ran it by me before they told you. The only problem is that it would be difficult for everything to work out perfectly."

"Sorry Mom."

She smiled at me, a sad smile. "Me too. Why couldn't you just eat some from the gigantic freezer in the kitchen?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Because Gustavo hates my guts and won't let me within ten feet of the kitchen."

"So sneak in. I know you do that at night. Use one of the passageways."

I looked at her, shocked. "How?"

She laughed. "My security team is very good at what they do. And when your grandfather was king, I spent a lot of time in them."

I smiled too. "I should probably get going."

She waved her hand, agreeing. I walked back to my room, deep in thought. If I kept a low profile, people would probably forget. That meant staying in the palace. I could do that.

* * *

Ivy's POV

I sat back on my couch and sighed. My damage control idea had been well received, and it was going to be made reality. Hopefully, Kendall really liked this one, and stopped flirting with me. I know it's probably wishful thinking, but hey, I can dream, right? I looked out of my window and saw my calendar. Kendall had to give a speech really soon. I decided to focus all of my interests on the speech.

* * *

Two weeks later

Ivy's POV

Jo and I were running around, putting the finishing touches on the date of Kendall's speech. Suddenly, a servant ran up to me, handed me a note, and ran away. I read the note and groaned. Jo, hearing me, looked over to see what was wrong.

"What is it?" Jo asked.

"Look." I shoved the paper into her hands.

She cleared her throat and read aloud. "Dear Ivy, I know you're busy, but the TV station needs to be booked. Most are asking for exclusivity. I know you have to look over His Highness' speech, but can you do this please?"

She looked up at me, expecting something.

I took a deep breath. "The idiot told me he would take care of TV! And now that he's forgotten, he wants to put it on me gracefully. If this flops, I might have to go back to New York. All while he's safe with his massive salary and pension."

Jo, sensing how I was feeling, put an arm around my shoulder. "Don't worry. This won't flop. And that's because you have the best publicist in California here to help," she said. I smiled and took a deep breath. Normal, Icy-Ivy was back and in full effect. The first place to start? Mr. Jett Stetson, Chief Adviser of His Royal Highness Prince Kendall Francis Knight, heir apparent to the throne.

I quickly put my bluetooth earpiece on, and called Jett's office. A secretary picked up the phone.

"Office of Jett Stetson."

"Is Mr. Stetson in? This is Ivy Johnson."

"I'm sorry, he isn't. He usually goes home right now. Would you like me to try to call his house?"

"Of course."

I waited a moment, and saw Kendall coming. He ran over and stood beside Jo and I right before the secretary came back.

"Sorry, he didn't pick up. Is there anything else I can do?"

Did she eat stupid pills with her breakfast of something?

"Could you please call his cell phone?"

"Uh, well,-"

"And could you make it quick? I'm aging over here. I just got married, had four kids, and watched them graduate college."

"Right away, Miss Johnson."

She was clearly flustered. Kendall's shocked face was also taking away my focus.

"He picked up, but he's busy. He wants a message so he can back to you."

Jett did not just dump one of his jobs on me and then give me the cold shoulder.

"He wants a message? Here it is. You suck. Love, Ivy Lynn Johnson."

I hung up. Kendall was staring at me, his mouth open as if he'd seen a ghost.

"What? Jett dumped one of his jobs on me, and refuses to talk to me."

The look on his face changed.

"So let's go talk to my mom."

I rolled my eyes. "Kendall, we're all adults. Tattling will accomplish nothing. It only works for spoiled princes, and I'm not royal."

He smirked. "I can change the part about you not being royal pretty quickly, he said.

I snorted, unimpressed. "Flirt."

He shrugged. "Worth a try."

Jo tapped my shoulder. "I've got three major news networks in. I need a timeslot."

I looked at Kendall.

"Six thirty to eight."

Jo repeated it into the phone, and then hung up. "Well, we should know by tomorrow whether or not they're in. Let's hope we get them."

She looked at Kendall. "Shouldn't you be on a date with one of the suitors?"

He groaned. "Princess Heather. She's super clingy."

I laughed. "Clingy? She wants a ring."

Jo and I laughed as Kendall dejectedly walked away. Soon after, we each decided to go our separate ways. I went up to my room and flopped on the couch. Even though I was doing a lot more in California, I still felt like the same girl at Williams. And to add insult to injury, the strain and stress was killing me.

Just as I was about to take a nap, my phone rang. Jett.

"What now, Jett? Do you need me to become Kendall's adviser?"

"No, Ivy. I have a question."

"Well, let me tell you that I'm not pleased by your antics."

"What on earth were you trying to reach me for?"

"Jett, you dropped one of your jobs on me like a hot potato."

"Well, I didn't see how I could do it."

"Did you know, Jett, that the reservations are under my name? If this crashes and burns T.V.-wise, Jett, I could be sent back to New York."

"So?"

"I need this to go well. If this fails, I fail, and let me tell you, I don't cope well with failure."

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry then. For putting my job on you."

I smiled. "Jett, it's never okay to lie."

And I hung up.

* * *

I'm not really in a good mood posting this. I posted the sequel to WTG yesterday, and got no reviews. Just a favorite. And a follow. Whatever. Hit the review button after you finish reading this!


	9. Chapter 9

**I would like to thank Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis, Katharine McPhee, Krysta Rodriguez, and Bernadette Peters for their music. **

* * *

Ivy's POV

"Ivy, how many times do I have to apologize?"

"Jett, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to talk to you right now?"

I walked into my room and slammed the door in his face. It felt good. I hadn't slammed a door in a while. But now I was stuck in here until Jett went away. I could catch up on everything. I had gone to the palace library and taken out a thick stack of books on Californian history and the palace. And learned a lot of things in the process. For example, the Mitchell-Roberts feud was started over a trade of pigs. Kendall's great-great-great grandfather was insane, and much of the palace was built because of it. And I was in the room where his great grandmother was born.

I picked up an old paper that showed the palace blueprints. Including the secret passages. Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Jennifer. See, when she told me that I could ask her for anything, I asked for legal clearance. I knew everything she and Kendall did concerning matters of state.

I was disturbed by a knocking on my door. I got up and opened it sharply, expecting to see Jett. It was Kendall.

"What do you want Kendall?" I asked.

He took a step back. "Whoa. I just wanted to celebrate how well the speech went."

I raised an eyebrow. "Kendall, did you know that the last time you wanted to celebrate, I ended up on every tabloid in California? Not to mention a few in America."

"Well, no one will know we're there. There's this hole in the wall place that's not too far from here. But it's in a pretty bad neighborhood."

"Fine. I'll go. But there better not be any trouble."

He grinned. "If you're good, you can hold my hand."

"Flirt."

"Only to you," he said with a wink.

"Never gonna happen."

"Remember what I promised you in the passage," he said, before letting himself out.

* * *

Third person.

Kendall and Ivy walked back to Kendall's motorcycle. Kendall had thought ahead, and used an old, rusty bike that looked like it was ready to fall apart.

"I can't believe we went all this way just to find out that this ice cream shop of yours was closed down," laughed Ivy.

"In my defense, I haven't been there in a while," stated Kendall, as Ivy laughed even more.

Suddenly, four people surrounded them.

"Hey you," said the first one, pointing to Kendall. "I like that watch."

"Sorry. Not for sale," Kendall said. He tried to squeeze between them, but they closed the gap.

"Look, I don't want any trouble," Kendall said.

"Then give me the watch."

"Absolutely not."

"Fine. Guess we do this the hard way," said the first one. He started to swing at Kendall, but Ivy weaved around and caught the punch.

"Look at this. His girl's fighting for him." He sneered.

Kendall smirked. "Isn't she something?"

"Fine then! I was trying to be nice to you, but I guess that won't work," yelled the first one.

Ivy quickly yelled at Kendall to put his back to hers, keeping surprise attacks from happening.

"Ever been in a fight?" Ivy asked.

"There's a first for everything," he responded. He began to fight two of them, as Ivy took on the other two.

Out of nowhere, one of them pulled a knife and swung it at Ivy. She jumped back, but not far enough for the knife to draw blood. She quickly knocked him out with a roundhouse kick, and turned to see Kendall take care of his two.

He put an arm around her. "Ivy, we are never coming back here again."

She could only nod in reply before she collapsed. A stunned Kendall gently and quickly placed her on the ground and quickly looked her over. An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he moved one of her arms aside. He gasped at what he saw. A crimson colored hand covered a large cut on her side.

He looked at her face. It was becoming paler by the minute. He quickly checked her pulse, feeling temporary relief when he found it.

"Come on Ivy, hang in there. Help is on the way. You've got this, Ivy. Ivy? Come on, don't give up."

Her hands gripped his once, tightly, and completely relaxed.

"IVY! Stay with me. Please, Ivy, stay."

A light rain began to fall as Kendall hurriedly took out his phone and called Jett.

"Jett, can you send an ambulance to Rogers Street? Ivy needs it."

Soon, the piercing wail of an ambulance reached Kendall's ears, as the rain began to fall harder. He took his jacket off, and quickly covered Ivy with it, knowing that she had to stay as dry as possible.

Soon the EMT's arrived, placing Ivy's limp, unconscious form on a stretcher and putting it in the ambulance. Kendall was helped in, as the ambulance raced away.

* * *

Kendall stood outside of Ivy's room, looking in through her window. He sensed someone was in the room, and turned to see Jett.

"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but the four that attacked you. What should we do with them?" Jett asked.

Kendall looked up from Ivy's window. "Issue a warrant. Press full charges. Attempted robbery. Assault. Armed robbery. The whole nine yards," he answered darkly, before turning back to the window.

Jett nodded. "I'll take care of it. And by the way, if you leave, the chauffeur is here." He quietly left the room, leaving Kendall alone with his thoughts.

Kendall stood and paced the floor. The light rain had now become a full thunderstorm. The sky was a gloomy gray, as dark, angry thunderclouds filled the sky, matching Kendall's mood.

The rain pelted the window, doing nothing to improve his mood, as Kendall continued to pace around, hoping for good news on a dark day.

* * *

Pretty dark stuff. School started for me today, but you can make me feel better with lots of reviews! Review please!


	10. Chapter 10

**I would like to thank kittybookworm for her review. Honestly though, I try to have my chapters done within the week, so I can update them the following week. I try to update every week. I spend my own time writing up chapters. It literally takes 30 seconds of your time to write out a review. I can't waste time on work that isn't reviewed. I think 30 seconds of your time for a week of mine is more than fair. But you didn't come to read a rant. So here's the (undeserved) next chapter.**

* * *

Third Person POV

Kendall sat in the waiting room for what felt like hours, before a nurse approached him. He stood up, hoping to hear good news.

"Your assistant, Ivy, she'll be fine," she began.

Kendall breathed out a sigh of relief.

"She's actually awake right now. You can go see her as long as you don't upset her."

Kendall quickly stood up and headed to Ivy's room. As he approached the door, he suddenly became nervous. With a pounding heart and shaky hands, he pushed the door open.

Ivy watched him walk in. "Hey," she said, sitting up.

Kendall smiled. "Glad you're okay."

"So am I. But Kendall?"

"Yeah?"

"When I get out of here, tell your mother to clear a space in California's deepest, darkest prison, because I'm going to kill you."

Kendall smiled. "Something tells me you're going to be just fine."

The two laughed, but were interrupted by Kendall's phone. "Hold on."

Before long, Kendall hung up and looked at Ivy. "I have to go. Apparently I have a date with Princess Heather."

"Have fun. Oh, and be safe."

Kendall rolled his eyes before walking out.

Ivy sat back, but soon, her phone rang, interrupting the silence.

"Hello?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Kendall was dying for his date to be over. Heather was becoming more and more clingy.

"The view from here is amazing, but you make it better," she said, moving closer to him. The two were on the cliffs overlooking East Beach.

"Sure."

"Why are you always so distant on our dates, Kendall? Don't you like me? Did I do something to offend you? Are you mad at me?"

"Sure. Maybe if you were a little less...you. More businesslike, direct, not one who minces words, someone who doesn't care about my money. More like that."

"Did you just describe your assistant?"

"What? Of course not."

"Deny it all you want, Kendall, but you and I know the truth." She leaned in. "Do you actually like Ivy?"

"No."

"Liar. But we'll pretend that we never had that discussion."

Kendall rolled his eyes as the two continued to talk.

* * *

"Hello?" Ivy asked.

"Heard you got assaulted yesterday."

She smiled. "Hi Kyle. And it was more like Kendall got assaulted. I just jumped in to save his life."

"So how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, actually. They stitched me up pretty well. How are you and Dad?"

"Pretty good. Uncle Derek asked for you. Told him you were on business in California."

"Good."

"Dad has a girlfriend."

"What? Dad doesn't fall in love. Is it Eileen?"

"Yeah."

"Always thought they had a thing. Anyway, I have to go. Tell Dad I said hi. Love you both."

"Bye."

The call ended, and Ivy tried to remember what happened after she collapsed. As much as she tried, she couldn't remember much. She remembered Kendall screaming her name, and someone holding her. Holding her kindly and gently. It had been a man, she was sure of that, but who it was, she had no idea, and no way of finding out.

Ivy concluded that he was a medic, because she faintly remembered being examined before the ambulance came. She also remembered being covered, but she had no idea if she actually was, or she imagined it. She tried to imagine a face, but when she thought, all she saw was Kendall.

Ivy shook her head and continued thinking. Were the people that attacked her still at large? The though made Ivy feel scared, before quickly shaking it off. If they were brought to trial, would she have to testify?

A knock sounded on the door, bringing Ivy out of her thoughts. It was Camille, Baroness of Los Angeles.

"To what do I owe the honor of the Baroness visiting me?" Ivy asked.

Camille rolled her eyes after walking in. "Are you crazy? The real honor is being in the same hospital as a national heroine. Here," she said, showing her a newspaper.

The headline read, "BREAKING NEWS: Prince Kendall's assistant, Ivy Johnson, has been hospitalized after saving his life."

Ivy put the paper down and shook her head. "Wow. How do these things get out?"

Camille shrugged. "Who cares? You're a hero! And because of this recent development, I also predict that Jo will walk through this door."

She was right. Jo came rushing in. "Ivy, did you see this poll?" she asked, showing her the same newspaper. The poll asked how Californians felt about the way she was doing her job. Since Kendall's major speech, her approval ratings had been climbing, but weren't really good. Now 67% said they approved.

"Sixty-seven percent, Ivy! You could run for public office with those kinds of numbers," Jo exclaimed.

"So?"

"So take advantage. Now you can take real power, because most of California likes you! You could even approve your own citizenship request! You're powerful, and you're popular. And you've made my job easier. Kendall's approval ratings will skyrocket too! Thanks, Ivy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to plan," she said, running out of the room.

Camille and Ivy looked at each other and rolled their eyes. "So, what really happened?" asked Camille. Ivy shrugged. "Four people asked for Kendall's watch, but he refused, so they started swinging. I took two, he took two, and I got stabbed. We beat them up, and I passed out. That's all I remember clearly."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence as the two tried to keep a conversation going.

"How's the whole dating thing going?" Ivy asked.

"It's okay," Camille said.

"In the U.S., we have this show called the Bachelor, where a single guy picks a wife from thirty women. This whole date a bunch of suitors thing reminds me of that."

Camille nodded. "Makes sense. But that's the way it's been. Even if California is fully developed, it's still a very traditional country."

Ivy nodded.

"But it's not all bad. I mean, the whole dating thing sucks. His Highness should be able to choose whoever he wants. But being a traditional, simple country means people are closer."

Ivy nodded as she and Camille continued to talk, until visiting hours were over.

* * *

**Not sure how I feel this chapter. Anyway, I published the first chapter of my sequel to WTG (my last story). It's called Did I Ever Really Know Her. Be sure to check that out and review. If you review both this and the sequel, I'll review all of your stories. Sound fair? Then go do your part and I'll do mine. Remember to review! I'll be waiting to start.**


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